Improvement in looms



Y ZSheots--SheeTt NIMMO.

Improvement` in Loomsn Patented May 30,187".

` improvement in Looms. f `No.115,508- Patterned Mayao, 1871..

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UNITE AnoHIBALD NIMMo, or` PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNon 'ro HIM- uSELF, THOMAS MORAN, AND VALENTINE STAUSSE, OF S'AME PLACE.y

IMPROVEMENT IN Looms.

Specification formingpart of Letters Patent No. 115,508, dated May 30, 1871,.

I, ARCHIBILNNUIMO, nf Philadelphia, county of `Philadelphia, State of .Pennsylf vania, haveinvented certain Improvements in Looms, of which the following 'is a specification:

atM'eand Object of the Iiwent'icn. c My invention consists of certain' improvements in looms, too, fully described hereafter to need preliminary` explanation, the improvements hayingbeen designed with the view of `increasing the capacity of the loom as regards the production of,l intricate patterns.

Description of the Accompanying Drawing.

' Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6, and 7, Sheet No. l, arediagrams illustrative of the main feature `of myiuvention; Fig-1, Sheet N o. 2, is a side view of a loom withl my improvements; Figs.

. 2 and"3,'plan views of portions of the same; Fig. 4, a sectional view on the line l 2', Fig. 3 5

Fig. `5, an edge view of Fig; 3; Fig. 6, a section on the line3"4, Fig. 3; Fig. y7, a-perspec- Vtive `view ofj one off the linksothe patternchain; and'Fig. S, a diagram illustrating a portion ot'f my invention.

" General Description.l

rEhe main feature of my inventionis based on a nepi' mechanical movement, for which I have made a separate application for apatent, and in order that `my present invention may be `thoroughly understood I will proceed to `explain"`the` movement, which can be best done by referring 'to Sheet No. l preparatory to a description ot' the invention as applied to a loom. i y

Itshould"beunderstood in the outset that "my invention is not dependent on specific unalterable devices, but the movement obtained can be accomplished through the medium of diiierent combinations of devices. The cams and levers shown in Sheet No. l are not such as I would use in connection with a loom, but, standing alone, and disconnected from all other appliances, they are `well adapted for f displaying the mannerof carrying `one part of my in'ventioninto; eeet, and are, in my opinion, the equivalentsof the devices, fully explained hereafter,-` as attached to the loom.

j The eight parallel and horizontal lines in.

dicate the different positions ,to which any one ot' eight boxes of a drop-box loom may be brought. p c

In each ofthe Figs. 1, 2, 3, Src., Vof the da, gram, A represents a fixed pin, to which the lever B is hung, and tothe outer end of this lever is connecteda second lever, C, and to the outer end of the latter is jointed a third lever, D, to which is connected a rod, E, supposed tobe attached to the sliding drop-box frame. The lever D is controlled by a cam, G, hung to the lever C, and the latter is contrclled` by a cam, H, hung to the lever B, which is controlled by a cam, I, on a. xed pin, J. These cams are graduated in a manner and for a purpose fully set forth in my above-mentioned application for a patent for mechanical movement. When all the cams are turned down the rod E will extend to the lowest line only of the series l, 2, 3, &'c., indieatin g that the highest shuttle-box ot' the series is in line with the shuttle-race. "On turning the lowest cam upward, as in Fig. 1, the Whole offthe levers will be elevated, and the rod E'will extend tothe second horizontal line, 2, of the series, indicating the position of the second shuttle-box from the top as in line with the shuttle-race. By turning up the cam Il, as in Fig. 2, the other two cams being depressed, the third line, 3, is reached, and

thus, by the manipulation of these cams in the order shown in the diagram, line after line is reached by the rod, which arrives at the limit of its upward movementwhen all the cams are elevated, as showirin Fig. 7, the turning down of all these cams at once restoring the rod to its lowest point when it reaches thelowest line only. It is not necessary that the cams should be graduated if the levers themselves are graduated, as will appear more fully hereafter. If we suppose a drop-box frame with eight shuttles tobe attached to the rod E, we can understand how one shuttle after another can be brought to coincide with the shuttle-race by operatin g the three cams, Gr, H, andrI.

It may be remarked that by adding another cam and another lever no less thansixteen shuttles could be used andoperated in the manner described, and by adding va fifth lever and camthirty-two shuttles might be used.

The capacity' ot my invention, however, is not restricted to its ability to make successive movements ot' one shuttle after the next. If, for instance, the rod has been elevated to the position shown in Fig. 7, the turning down of the cam G, as in Fig. .3, will permit the rod to descend at once from the line 8 to the line 4 without hesitating at the intermediate lines 7', 6, or e. In fact, the number of changes which can be effected by operating the three cams may be counted by hundreds.

The advantages ot this mechanical movement when applied to a drop-box loom will be understood when we consider that each of the eight shuttles may have thread dii't'ering in color from the threads of all other shuttles, and that by the simple operation of the three cams any one of these colored threads can be made to succeed any other ofthe eight colors which may have been previously woven into the fabric.

Having now described the principle, or lnechanical movement, on which my invention is based, I will proceed to explain how it may be applied to a drop-box loom, reference heilig had to Sheet No. 2, where- A represents one ofthe frames; I3, the shuttle-box guide attached to the usual vibratin g lathe; I), the sliding shuttle-box, containing eight compartments, 1, 2, 3, te., for holding as many shuttles; and E, the cam-shaft, which receives its motion from the driving-shaft of the loom, as usual, and which has two extra cams, c and al, more particularly referred to hereafter. To a tixed point, b, on the frame ot' the loom is hung a lever, F, (corresponding to the lever B in the diagram, Sheet No. 1,) and to this lever, at a point, b1, midway between its t'ulcrum and outer extremity, is hung a lever, F1, of exactly one-half the length ot' the lever F, and to the said lever F1, at a point, b2, midway between its opposite ends, is hung a third lever, F2, of one-halt' the length of the lever F1 and ot' one-quarter that of the lever F. The lever F is controlled in-its movements by a cam, G, hung to a fixed pin, d, on the frame ofthe loom, and having a slot, e, in which is arranged to slide a pin, c, at the outer end of the said leverf. This latter, owing to this connection, is caused to rise or fall when the cam is turned upon its fulcrum, and the slot c is flattened or depressed at one end, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to retain and prevent the accidental descent of the said lever when the latter has reached the limit ot' its upward movement. rlhe levers F1 and F2 are in like manner controlled by precisely similar slotted cams G and G2, which are also hung to the pin d, adjacent to the slotted cam G. The lever F2 is connected by a linlr,f, to an arm, H, which is hung to a iixed pin,f1, on the ira-me, and attached at its outer end through the medium of a link, f2, to the sliding shuttlebox D.

The above devices are the equivalents of and operate the sliding shuttle-box in precisely the same manner as the devices shown in the diagram, Sheet No. 1, the levers F, F1, and F2 corresponding to the levers B, G, and D of the diagram, and the slotted cams G, G1, and Gr2 to the cams I, H, and G.

I will now proceed to describe the operation of these devices, reference being had to the diagram, Fig. 8, where the points 1, 2, 3, 4t, 5,6, 7, and 8 indicate the different positions to which any one-of the eight boxes of the loom may be brought. When allot' the levers F, F1, and F2 are depressed and on line with each other, the arm H will be also dcpressed and will extend to the lowest point of the series 1, 2, 3, Src., as shown by the dotted line this indicating that the highest shuttlebox ot' the series is in line with the shuttlerace. It' the longest lever F be raised by its slotted cam G to the position indicated by the line y in Fig. 8, the other lines being depressed, the arm H will also be raised to the point 2, as shown by the dotted line x', this indicating the position of the second shuttle-box from the top, as in line with the shuttle-race, and if the lever E be depressed and the second and shorter lever F1 be elevated to the position shown by the line y the arm H will be raised to a height twice as great as by the lever F, or to the point 3, as indicated by the dotted line as. The third and shortest lever F2 will, in like manner, when raised by its cam, as shown by the full lines in Fig. 8, the other levers being depressed, elevate the arm` H to the point 5, or to a height twice as great as by the lever F1, and four times as great as by the lever F. It two ot' the levers-the levers Fl and F2, for instance be raised at one time, the point 7 may be reached by the arm H, and if all of the levers are raised at once the arm H will be elevated to the point 8, indicating that the lowest shuttle-box is in line with the shuttle-race. Iulilre manner, when all ot' the levers are depressedsimultaneously, the arm H will be lowered at once tothe lowest point; or it may, by a single movement ot' one lever, or by a simultaneous movement ot' t'wo or more ot' the same, be adjusted at once to any of the eight points shown in the diagram, Fig. 8, so as to bring any one of the eight shuttles opposite the race, the usual step-by-step movement being thus avoided, and the operation of the loom, in weaving with a variety ot' colors, being much facilitated. By adding a fourth lever to the scries of one-halt the length of the lever F2, and operated by an additional slotted cam, sixteen shuttles could be controlled in thc manner above described.

Although this feature of my invention can be carried into e'ect in a variety ot' ways, I prefer the arrangement of devices above described, when the movement is used in connection with a loom, as it insures a positive operation ot' the arm H in both ascending and descending, and enables each shuttle-box to be brought to a point directly opposite the race, and there retained for as long a time as may be necessary.

The slotted cams G, `which control thelev vers F, F1, etc., are operated .bydouble-hooked, pawls Lhung tothe lower end of a vibrating arm, J,which is 3 pivoted` to the lixed" `trame.

and operated bythe cam a, before referred to,`

on the end ef` the ,cam-shaft; E, the said vibrating armbeing held-against this cam by a `espiral spring, aattachedfo the fixed frame. `Each of the pawls-'I has two hooked arms, g

and g1, the former ofwhich, when the pawl is elevated, acts on a pin, g2, of its slotted ca m,

\ -andturns the latter to theposition shown by` Glin Fig. 1, orto suclraposition as to depress the lever F, which the said slotted cam controls. Whenmanyoneliof the pawls is depressed its hooked armfgl'acts on a. second "pinfgf, of one .of the slotted cams, andturns vr" the `latter to such a position as to elevate its leverF, as shown by G2 in Fig. l. All of the pa'wls `l are moved j: backward and forward with every .revolutionwof the cam-shaft E, but they onlyfoperate the slotted cams immediately after being raised or lowered,`the said slottedcams, after bei-ngturned by the pawls to such a position as ton raise or lower their levers, remaining in the same position until the pawls are again adjusted.` Each otthe pawls is capable of being raised and loweredindependently of the-others, aind is controlled by v `a pattern-chain, K,`through`the medium of a lever,L,"and connecting-'rod h, each pawl havl j ingan independent connecting-rod and lever,

but one wide pattern-chain sufcin g for all of the pawls. `The pattern-chain is turned asusual by chain-wheels onA aspin'dle, t', which has its bearings on aframe, m', bolted to the frame ot' the loom, the required intermittent rotary motion being imparted to the; said spindle by the v cam afl on thecam-shaft through the medium of a bell-crank leven/if, and pawl and ratchet- -;wheel j. (See Fig. 6.)` rlfhe leversLare-hung to a transverserod, lr, on the frame m, and extends across and are supported by the patternchain, so that the said levers, and consequently the-pawls I, may be raised by the pins l on the chains, and be 'depressed when resting upon the plain portion ofthe latter.

lt will be observed, on reference to Fig. 1, that a comparatively short pattern-chain is used; but by the combination of this short chain with an arrangementof devices which I will now proceed todescribe the same effect in the weaving of intricate pattern-chain can be produced as by the `useof a very long chain, the objections to which are well known to those familiar with the art of weaving. v

The pattern-chain is made considerably wider than would be required for the levers L alone `if the latter were perfectly straightand plain;

butthe said levers are forked at a point above the pattern-chain, so as to increase their width,

`P, the latterv turning in the frame m, parallel `with the patternchain spindle, and being fur-` `nished with pins n, arranged spirally, as best observedin Fig. 5. These spirally-arranged pins, when the roller is turned-successively `elevate one end of each of the levers m and depress the opposite endv so as to bring it withlin the range of the pinsA on the pattern-chain, the levers `L being thus operated through the medium of these supplementary levers m, instead of directly, for a purpose which will ypresently appear. A ratchet-wheel, p, and cog-wheel p1, the latter gearing into a wheel,

p2, on the spindle of the roller P, are connected:

together, and are hung loosely on the patternchain spindle,Figs. 3 and 4. A pawl, j', hung to the bell-crank leverc", is adapted to the' teeth of the ratchet-wheel jp, but is held above the latter by a .weighted arm, q, Fig. 6, which rests upon the edgeof the pattern-chain, one

bf the links of the latter having a projection,

q', which on the completion of every revolution of the chain, `strikes and elevates the weighted arm q, and permits the. pawlj to 'descend and engage with'the ratchet-wheel p and move the same to the extentof one tooth, this movement being transmitted, through the `gear-wheels p1 and p2, to the roller P, which is turned sufficiently to bring another set of itsA spirally-arranged pins n uppermost, and to consequently act on another of the supplemental levers m on each lever L,\and lower were no changing of the parts, and a more inr tricate pattern were mto be woven, the length of the chain would have to be increased.` This latter necessity, however, is avoided by the use-of the supplemental levers, for when-the chain has been turned completely around after acting on the first lever m of each series, the latter will, through the medium ofthe devices already described, be immediately released,'and the second lever mot' each series be brought within range of another set of pins on the pattern-chain,V which will enable as many additional changes of the patter be made as if the length of the chain were doubled.

` In like manner the third and fourth levers oi' each series will be brought into play -and operated on by new, sets of pins on the patternchain, so that the effectiveness of the latter will, by the aid of theselevers, be increased fourfold. It should be understood, however, that it is not absolutely necessary that four levers, m, should be employed in connection with each lever L, as two, three, or any greater number may be used, it being understood that entirely through these holes and into the holes each lever added has the ei'ect of doubling the capacity of the chain which is actually used. I

It will be readily understood how any additional pattern-chain arranged on the roller P in place of the pins a could be used for adjusting the supplemental levers m.

The construction ofthe pattern-chain forms another important feature'of my invention, and is as follows, reference being had to Fig. 7 z Each link of the chain consists of two plates, 1 and s, at each end of the former of which are cross-pieces t, adapted to similar crosspieces ot' the adjoining links, and having holes u and u for the passage ofthe connecting rods or pins. The plate s is hinged to the plate ^r by trunnions o and o at its opposite ends, which are adapted to the holes u of the crosspieces t, and are of such length as to project u of the cross-pieces of the adjoining link, the said trunnions thus serving also as a means of connecting the several links together. It will be observed that the trunnion v of each plate s is of greater length than the trunnion r', the object of which is to enable the said plate s to be moved longitudinally over the plate o* in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 7, in order to insert the trunnion o into the holes of the cross-pieces without withdrawing the trunnion c the plate s, after having been thus moved longitudinally, being folded down onto the plate i' and there retained by a springcatch, fw, it being also prevented from sliding longitudinally over the plate r in such a direction as to withdraw its trunnion o by a stop-pin, wf, on the said plate o'. The plate s is perforated with a number of holes for the pins l of the chain, and the latter, instead of being permanently affixed, as usual, consists of simple loose rivets b1, Fig. 7, the Shanks of which are passed through the holes in the plate s, and their heads retained between the latter and the plate i.

` A pattern-chain thus constructed can be readily lengthened or shortened, and the pins can be quickly adjusted to any position rcquired.

Referring again to the mechanism by which the drop-box is operated, it will be seen that the cams are all alike and that the desired va riety of changes is effected through the inedium ofthe peculiar system of levers described but it should be understood that the cams themselves may be graduated to produce the desired effect, as shown in Sheet No. 1, and as more fully explained in my aforesaid application for a patent for a new mechanical movement.

Claims.

1. The combination, with a drop boX, of graduated levers and slotted cams or their equivalents, thel whole being arranged and operating substantially as described.

2. The combination of the slotted cams G G1 with double-hooked pawls I, controlled by a patternchain, the whole being arranged to operate in the manner described.

3. The levers L, controlled by the patternchain through the medium of a system of 1evers, m, hung to the said levers L, and controlled by pins on a cylinder, P, -or by a supplementary pattern-chain on the said cylinder, all substantially a-s described.

4. The combination, with the supplementary levers m m1, of a series of pins, n, arranged on the cylinder P so as to operate the said levers successively when the roller is turned.

5. The combination of the projection q on the pattern-chain with the arin q, and withdevices substantially as herein described, through the medium of which the roller P may be slightly turned at the termination of every'complete movement ofthe pattern-chain. 6. A pattern-chain, the links-ot' which are composed of two bars hinged or otherwise connected together so as to retain the pins ot'` the patternchain in the manner described.

7. The hinged retaining-plate s, havin g j ournals which serve as pins for connecting the links of the chain'together.

8. The said plate s, hinged to the bar i', as set forth, so as to be detached therefrom in the manner described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence ot' two subscribing witnesses.

ARCHIBALD NIMMO.

Witnesses:

WM. A. STEEL, HARRY SMITH. 

